Official Game Thread: Hawks at Grizzlies

[NBASupes]

45 minutes ago, Watchman said:

We have as many, if not more injuries than Memphis does.  Wouldn't that make us a G league team too?

No we do not. Memphis literally has 8 players out with injuries 

[Diesel]

18 hours ago, AHF said:

Tough to envision how to upgrade the frontcourt without a move like that

For the frontcourt, you need a low post scorer/rim protector/lob threat.  Somebody who can get points without having to be spoonfed.  I have a thought on who we should target.   And if successful, then one of our sacred cows will have to go but not Trae or DJ or JJ.  

 

 

[warcore]

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

And if successful, then one of our sacred cows will have to go but not Trae or DJ or JJ.  

who on our roster do you consider a sacred cow that's not the above 3? I don't even see all of them as that. 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, warcore said:

who on our roster do you consider a sacred cow that's not the above 3? I don't even see all of them as that. 

️ 

[Watchman]

On 3/10/2024 at 9:26 AM, warcore said:

who on our roster do you consider a sacred cow that's not the above 3? I don't even see all of them as that. 

Our TPE is our most sacred player.

[KB21]

On 3/10/2024 at 8:26 AM, warcore said:

who on our roster do you consider a sacred cow that's not the above 3? I don't even see all of them as that. 

Diesel has the mindset that you can't be shorter than 7-foot and be a center.  OO is always his target.  It's the "Al Horford is not a center" argument all over again.

[AHF]

23 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Diesel has the mindset that you can't be shorter than 7-foot and be a center.  OO is always his target.  It's the "Al Horford is not a center" argument all over again.

That was an argument Al liked to participate in as well arguing that he should be playing at PF.  Clearly that wasn't in the best interests of any teams since every coach who had him kept him as the center and he never paired well with another center.

OO is several inches smaller than Al, though, so I think it is a fairer question whether you can get by with a 6'8'' center than a 6'10'' one.  The number of 6'8'' centers can probably be counted on one hand.  There are plenty of examples of 6'10'' centers being successful.

With OO the numbers in a reserve role look great.  We missed the window to let him start for a while and see how that goes.

[KB21]

41 minutes ago, AHF said:

That was an argument Al liked to participate in as well arguing that he should be playing at PF.  Clearly that wasn't in the best interests of any teams since every coach who had him kept him as the center and he never paired well with another center.

OO is several inches smaller than Al, though, so I think it is a fairer question whether you can get by with a 6'8'' center than a 6'10'' one.  The number of 6'8'' centers can probably be counted on one hand.  There are plenty of examples of 6'10'' centers being successful.

With OO the numbers in a reserve role look great.  We missed the window to let him start for a while and see how that goes.

Al Horford was 6'8" w/o shoes, 6'9.75" with shoes, 246 lbs

 

[AHF]

1 hour ago, KB21 said:

Al Horford was 6'8" w/o shoes, 6'9.75" with shoes, 246 lbs

 

I know we don't have measurements for OO but he looks a bit smaller and notably lighter than Al to me.  Al proved he could handle it as a starting center.  OO still has to do that.  Wasted opportunity over the second half the season to do that with his injury.  I've got no problem with anyone at center if they can handle facing off against opposing starters over a full season.  I'm not going to fuss because Ben Wallace isn't a 7 footer but some smaller guys can handle it and many more can't.

 

[Hawkmoor]

Meh..

On 3/10/2024 at 7:31 AM, Diesel said:

For the frontcourt, you need a low post scorer/rim protector/lob threat.  Somebody who can get points without having to be spoonfed.  I have a thought on who we should target.   And if successful, then one of our sacred cows will have to go but not Trae or DJ or JJ.  

 

 

Thats a contradictory statement.  You said one of the sacred cows has to go, but not Trae, DJ or JJ.  What other sacred cow do the Hawks have?

[KB21]

Bam Adebayo, who I think OO is very similar to, measured 6'8.75 w/o shoes, 6'9.75 with shoes, 242 lbs.  

This is just a personal preference, and I know it's hard to find guys like this, but Al Horford and Bam Adebayo to me are the new age center in the NBA, moreso than the 7-foot lumbering oaf that was prevalent before the game improved or the 7-foot string beans we see getting drafted high these days.  

[AHF]

20 hours ago, KB21 said:

Bam Adebayo, who I think OO is very similar to, measured 6'8.75 w/o shoes, 6'9.75 with shoes, 242 lbs.  

This is just a personal preference, and I know it's hard to find guys like this, but Al Horford and Bam Adebayo to me are the new age center in the NBA, moreso than the 7-foot lumbering oaf that was prevalent before the game improved or the 7-foot string beans we see getting drafted high these days.  

Bam can definitely handle it.  I haven't seen from OO that he can handle starting bigs as well as Bam.  If OO becomes Bam, I'll be thrilled.  What I need to see is him succeeding in a long stetch of games as a starter.  Health is what is keeping him from that right now which unfortunately has to be acknowledged as an ongoing risk with him given his track record.

[JayBirdHawk]

11 minutes ago, AHF said:

Bam can definitely handle it.  I haven't seen from OO that he can handle starting bigs as well as Bam.  If OO becomes Bam, I'll be thrilled.  What I need to see is him succeeding in a long stetch of games as a starter.  Health is what is keeping him from that right now which unfortunately has to be acknowledged as an ongoing risk with him given his track record.

The other thing that separates Bam from OO is his offensive versatility and ability to run the offense and be a playmaker.

[AHF]

28 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The other thing that separates Bam from OO is his offensive versatility and ability to run the offense and be a playmaker.

Very true but that is why Bam gets paid a lot more.  OO with Bam's defense is good enough for me as a starter and the more OO can continue to develop the better.